At just 10 years old, Brandon Hoff picked up a violin and fell in love.
Just a few years later, Mark Wood — the inventor of the first solid-body electric violin and world-leading rock violinist — inspired him to purchase the instrument so he could take his playing to the next level. Hoff said the electric violin allowed him to branch out from classical music and explore a whole new repertoire of rock songs, such as “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses.
“I will say I was pretty average until seventh grade, when Mark Wood came to visit my school and inspired me to take the next step,” Hoff, a second-year in biology, said. “That’s when I bought one of his electric violins, and my music really took off from there.”
Hoff, who is also a member of Delta Sigma Phi, said despite his intensive studies as a pre-med student and obligations with his fraternity, he takes time to craft his music and make it a priority in his life.
In November 2021, Hoff was able to perform at Delta Sigma Phi’s block party before an Ohio State football game.
“I played a selection of rock music including ‘Mr. Brightside’ by The Killers and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen,” Hoff said. “I don’t think the crowd was expecting a violinist to rock out and play popular music.”
Casey Welker, a second-year in health sciences and Hoff’s close friend and fraternity brother, was present at the performance and said it shocked the crowd.
“Everyone was in awe; none of us had heard an electric violin before,” Welker said. “Our jaws were on the floor.”
